Harrowsmith

BREATH OF FRESH AIR I was a subscriber to Harrowsmith many years ago and was disappointed when we no longer saw it on the shelves or even by subscription. To view this first one I have now subscribed to is like a breath of fresh air with so many things continuing from earlier days. Thank you for resurrecting it. Well worth the price. Dorothy Wood, British Columbia A DIFFERENT KIND OF WINTER GARDEN Hi Jennifer, Thank you for your “7 Winter Garden Design Tips” article in the Winter 2021/22 issue. Although I loved it, I have to admit that my kind of winter garden is much different. As you can see below, my car sits outside all winter because I had to make place for my winter garden in the garage. But picking…

Spring has always been my favourite. It brings the promise of new beginnings and the excitement of watching the natural world unveil itself a little more each day. And I’ve somehow become the person on my street who is the arbiter of spring’s schedule: “Is it early, is it late, or are we right on time?” my friends ask me. Really, the only qualifications I have for answering is informed by the data I collect by taking so many photos on my phone — especially of my next-door neighbour’s glorious magnolia tree. As soon as the snow melts, I study that tree, looking for signs that the buds are swelling and ready to pop. I mark the day it first does this on my calendar; last year, it was 10…

Buzzword: Biophilic design Biophilic designs are inspired by qualities and features of natural settings, and according to Pinterest, this trend is taking off bigger than ever in Canada right now. This plant-first design approach is all about connecting to nature within our built environment to reap the benefits of well-being and serenity that the natural world provides. Piqued your interest? Here are some ways to bring the living into your rooms. 1. Fully committed: Add plants of different shapes and sizes into your living spaces to form a “green wall.” The idea is to grow vertically, so just as you would do outdoors, add climbing and vining plants like ivy and pothos and fix them with stakes and trellises for support. 2. Pretty committed: Add a wallpaper mural of a serene forest or plant…

Growing Figs in Cold Climates: A Complete Guide by Lee Reich (New Society Publishers, 2021) Lee Reich lives and works on his “farmden” (more than a garden and less than a farm) in New Paltz, New York. In his test plots there, he discovered the art of growing figs in cold climates. Full of easy-to-digest information and detailed biology, his book is for gardening rebels who thrive on the challenge to grow outside their zones, and for fig lovers who will stop at nothing to harvest the unique and sweet fruit in their own garden. Offering five methods for growing fig trees (you can do it without a greenhouse!), this 115-page resource is the definitive book about growing figs for novice and experienced growers alike. The Elegant and Edible Garden: Design a Dream…

a few forget-me-nots twinkle bluely and a lone fritillaria pushes to open its gorgeous orange stink the garden awakening like a heart beautiful and confused tamed and untamable a sky cracks clear of clouds accentuating shades of chlorophyll and dirt April has sighed its way into May dark dread and bright dandelions steady and unpredictable a dying world glitters with life a story pushes from naked ground a heart awakens like a garden rotting compost and flowers weeds and promise Jeffrey Aarles is a yoga teacher, a gardener, a writer and an actor, with different hats (and shoes) for each role. He lives in Toronto. Do you have a short poem about nature or your environment to share with us? Send your submissions to editor@harrowsmithmag.com and your work could be featured in an upcoming issue.…

La Niña conditions are likely to continue during spring, says Harrowsmith’s meteorology expert, Mark Sirois. Typically, La Niña events occur every 3 to 5 years or so and refer to the periodic cooling of ocean surface temperatures in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific. With that in mind, here are the weather highlights each region in Canada can expect this season. ATLANTIC PROVINCES Temperatures can be expected to be slightly warmer than normal this spring, but conditions will get wetter as the season progresses. The amount of sunny days will outnumber those that are cloudy early in the season, but then a rainy pattern should take hold in the second half of May. QUEBEC Winter conditions will likely stick around into the early part of spring, as some snow systems should impact the southern…